This invention relates generally to beverage carriers and more particularly to a new and improved beverage package and production blank for the package having improved locking features. In the manufacture of beverage carriers, it is known to provide wrap-around style carriers having bottom locking panels for locking the carrier tightly around the bottles contained in the package. It is also known to provide adjustable locking portions in the bottom of the carriers in order to be able to tightly lock the carrier whenever an oversize or undersize group of bottles may be positioned in the carrier. Such adjustable locking features are typified in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,791 issued to E. J. Graser on Aug. 6, 1968; the U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,566 issued to E. C. Sherman on Dec. 22, 1970 and the U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,951 issued to E. J. Graser on Nov. 18, 1969. Such adjustable locking devices have been utilized in the past and the before-cited references are given as typical types of adjustable locking devices presently on the market, there being other forms and configurations of the locking structure presently available throughout the industry.
There is also available, automatically adjustable punch-style locking sections formed on wrap-around beverage carriers such as typified by the U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,699 issued to E. J. Graser on Apr. 28, 1970 as well as other variations of the punch-style locking portion involving changes in the configuration of the lock structure in order to accomplish positive locking.
Such known locking devices have been utilized singly to accomplish positive locking control of the package and have been satisfactory for nominal package usage as required over the years by purchasers of the package structure. In recent years, abnormal use of the package by the ultimate consumer has dictated a different locking structure combination which will give positive locking features under even the most adverse conditions in order to eliminate drop-out of the bottles from the package. For example, it has been found when the bottle carriers are dry they tend to be totally functional when carried by either two finger holes or when carried by one finger hole and on an angle. However, when the bottom of the carrier is in direct contact with water which happens in exceptional cases, a drastic reduction in the bottle retention qualities of the carrier results making the package a high risk package for bottle drop-out and possible injury to the ultimate customer of the package.
It has also been found that if the package is exposed to a cold environment such as might occur in a cold box at a retail outlet of say 40.degree. F., and the package is purchased and placed in a hot, humid environment such as a consumer's car trunk for two or three hours, the carrier also may become a high risk one for bottle fall-out during carrying of the package by the consumer. The probable reason for this is that it is felt condensation forming on the cold package, running down the bottles' sides and soaking the bottom carrier panel can contribute to reduced retention qualities of the carrier locking portions.
It is also felt that bottle fall-out can result in carriers when the carrier loses "rigidity" as a result of controlled environmental warehousing, hot, humid conditions in delivery trucks and cold boxes at retail outlets. When subject to the above, it is felt that condensation may form on the cold bottles and transfer to the carrier board to possibly weaken the carrier considerably in the area of the locking portions. When such conditions occur, it is felt that the carrier may become a high risk package even though these adverse conditions appear to occur at exceptional times only and not normal times during the life cycle of the package.